1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a spring fixing member and an ink jet recording head and, in particular, to a spring fixing member for fixing a coil spring and an ink jet recording head including the same.
2. Description of the Related Art
As described in Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2009-127533, one of members for fixing a coil spring is a spring fixing member that fixes only one end portion of the coil spring.
FIG. 8 is a perspective view illustrating a spring fixing member 11 of a related art. The spring fixing member 11 is provided with a boss 12 on a mounting surface 11a. The diameter of the boss 12 is substantially identical to the inner diameter of the coil spring. A protrusion 13 is provided on a side surface 12a of the boss 12.
To attach the coil spring, the coil spring is brought into engagement with the boss 12 so that the coil spring is externally fitted on the boss 12. The coil spring is handled such that the end portion of the coil spring on the side of the mounting surface 11a is moved beyond the protrusion 13, whereby the protrusion 13 prevents the coil spring from being disconnected from the boss 12. Typically, the spring fixing member is configured such that the protrusion 13 intervenes between a first turn of winding, which is an end portion of the coil spring, and a second turn of winding after the coil spring is attached.
If the coil spring is insufficiently mounted on the spring fixing member 11 and a first turn of winding of the coil spring is not beyond the protrusion 13, the coil spring may possibly be disconnected from the spring fixing member 11 by, for example, vibrations.
Meanwhile, even if the coil spring is insufficiently mounted on the spring fixing member 11, the coil spring is in a state of being fitted on the boss 12 having a diameter substantially identical to the inner diameter of the coil spring. Accordingly, the coil spring is hardly inclined from the axis direction of the boss 12. Thus, even inspection of the state of the coil spring in the axis direction of the boss 12 cannot discriminate a normal state. Therefore, inspection of whether the first turn of winding of the coil spring is beyond the protrusion 13 or not is required to determine whether the coil spring is securely fixed or not.
However, for example, if another member is arranged around the spring fixing member 11, visual inspection of the state of engagement between the protrusion 13 and the coil spring may be difficult. In such a case, there is a problem of difficulty to inspect whether the coil spring is securely fixed or not.